Door mirror positioning

[wiganken1]

Am I right or is it me? I am referring to door mirror (DM) positioning. I know mirrors are adjusted to suit the driver and that garage mechanics adjust my DMs for test drive purposes but I find the amount of adjustment they make is a lot and it seems wrong to me. It seems like they have different criteria. I am of average height (173cm or 5ft 8in) and have been driving on motorways and dual carriageways a lot since 1965 and consider myself experienced. I used to do 20000 miles per year before retiring. I set my DMs so that they cover the blind spots that the rear view mirror (RVM) does not see. So my offside mirror is set so that it picks up any traffic overtaking me just before it disappears from my RVM and I can see it in the DM until it appears alongside me. Similarly I set my nearside mirror so that anything coming up on my inside appears there just before it disappears from my RVM. This also helps with traffic joining my carriageway from a slip road. However when I get my car back from the garage I find the door mirrors have been set so that I see the sides of my car and not the road alongside and behind. Why would anyone need to see the side of their own car? It’s the other traffic I am bothered about.

[CapstanPlug]

Probably because they’re manoeuvring car in tight space in garage and want to see how close they are to other cars, or obstacles. Maybe!

I use adjusters all the time when I’m parking- to see that I don’t clip rear wheels against some of the wonky kerbs around here!  And then re-adjust them much like you do, once on the road.

That or they’re just messing. Or...

[RickW]

 

[wiganken1]

Just my view (pun intended) but I disagree with being able to see the side of your own car. What is the value in seeing the side of your own car? It is taking up mirror space that is better used for looking at the road behind and to the side. The mirror should be set for looking for other traffic, not your own car.

[RickW]

The guy in the video (a highly experienced driving instructor) says it's to have 'perspective' in relation to everything else.

 

I have just a rear door handle showing in the edge of my mirrors and I find it works for me.

 

I guess there are different opinions but I favour the view shown in the video.

 

[GreenlineIIEstate]

 

This bloke is a bit off the wall but what he says makes sense. He doesn't see the point in looking at the sides of your own car.

[skidpan]

On 22/03/2018 at 07:57, RickW said:

 

 

That is exactly how mine have been set in every car I have owned or driven. How much more of the other side of the road do you want to see?